THE US PRESIDENT Flashcards
THE US PRESIDENT
THE US PRESIDENT
What are 3 ways the President can check Congress?
- Suggest legislation
- Veto legislation
- Commander in chief of the armed forces
What did Trump ask Congress for in his 2018 State of the Union address?
Money to ‘build a wall’ - border security
How many times did Trump use his veto?
10 times
How may times did Obama and Bush veto a bill?
12 times each
How many times did FDR use the veto?
635
What are the 2 types of presidential veto?
- Regular veto
- Pocket veto
How many pocket vetoes have been used in the 21st century?
0
What did the Biden Administration decide to do in April 2021?
Pull all US troops out of Afghanistan by September 2021
What are 2 ways the President can check the judiciary?
- Nomination of Justices
- Power of the pardon
How many commutations did Obama grant on his last day in office in 2017?
330 - mostly to non-violent drug offenders
How many pardons did Trump issue during his term in office?
143
How many people did Joe Biden grant full pardons at the end of 2022?
6
How many sentences did Biden commute in April 2022?
75
Why did the Republicans refuse to hold hearings on Obama’s nomination to the Supreme Court Merrick Garland?
Obama was in the final year of his final term
Who did Biden nominate to the Supreme Court in February 2022?
Ketanji Brown Jackson
Who were Trump’s 3 nominations to the Supreme Court?
- Neil Gorsuch
- Brett Kavanaugh
- Amy Coney Barrett
PRESIDENCY AND THE CONSTITUTION
PRESIDENCY AND THE CONSTITUTION
What are the 3 requirements for someone to be president?
- At least 35 years old
- US-born citizen
- Resident of the USA for 14 years
What are the 4 sections in Article II of the Constitution?
I - Nature of the Presidency
II - Powers
III - Responsibilities
IV - Impeachment
What is the president in control of?
The federal bureaucracy
How many people are employed by the executive branch, including the military?
4 million
What are 5 enumerated powers of the President?
- Commander in chief
- State of the Union address
- Appointments
- Pardon
- Veto legislation
What are 4 implied powers of the president?
- Establish a cabinet
- Executive agreement
- Executive orders
- Executive Privilege
What Amendment limits the president to 2 terms?
22nd Amendment
What does the 25th Amendment clarify?
Clarifies the line of succession and the procedure for an incapacitated president
FORMAL POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT
FORMAL POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT
What are the 3 options a president has when a bill arrives at his desk?
- Sign the bill
- Veto the bill
- Take no action
What did Biden sign into law 7 weeks into his presidency?
American Rescue Plan Act
What was the American Rescue Plan Act that Biden signed into law?
A $1.9 trillion economic stimulus plan designed to combat the pandemic and begin repairing the nation’s frayed social safety net
What significant act did Trump sign into law on the 22nd December 2017?
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
What significant bill did Biden sign into law in November 2021?
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
How much money was in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act?
$1.2 trillion
When did Biden sign the Chips and Science Act into law?
9th August 2022
How much of the $280 billion in the Chips and Science Act was committed to developing the semi-conductor industry to compete with China?
$52 billion
What was the significant piece of legislation Obama signed into law?
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 2010 (Obamacare)
What did Joe Biden say about the Inflation Reduction Act he signed into law, which was America’s largest ever commitment to combating climate change?
That the new law is ‘not just about today, its about tomorrow’
How much did the Inflation Reduction Act grant in subsidies to green technology in the United States?
$369 billion
Who were very worried about the Inflation Reduction Act?
The European Union - wanted the US to extend the grants to EU companies
What was Obama’s final veto?
The Justice Against the Sponsors of Terrorism Act
What legislation did Trump veto in December 2021 which was overturned by Congress?
The National Defense Authorization Act 2021
What did Trump do hours after threatening to veto a $1.3 trillion spending bill?
He signed it into law
How many vetoes has Biden used?
5
What was Biden’s first veto?
He vetoed the repeal of a Labor department rule that permitted retirement investing tied to environment and social goals - bill would have prevented consideration of certain factors when investing retirement savings
What was Biden’s 2nd veto?
He vetoed a resolution that would have rescinded his administration’s hallmark water rule - would have de-regulated much of the waterways
What was Biden’s main focus on in his 2022 State of the Union address?
The war in Ukraine
How much was Ukraine given in aid in December 2022?
$45 billion
What was a success of Obama’s State of the Union Address?
The Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act - protection of gay rights
What did Trump claim about the economy in his 2020 State of the Union address?
‘Our economy is the best it has ever been’
What did Biden say was a threat to US sovereignty in his 2023 State of the Union address?
China
What had happened the same week as Biden’s State of the Union address?
Chinese spy balloon shot down
What 2 things did Biden call for in his 2023 State of the Union address?
- Cooperation between Democrats and Republicans
- Insulin to be capped at $35 - said big pharma would still do well